Twenty-eight, Twenty-nine, Thirty
by Yada99Schleich
Summary: Virgils thoughts as he struggles with Alan. Warning: Contains character death and is a little depressing. Oneshot in Virgils POV.


**A/N Well I am surprised! I managed to write a full story in under one hour. Granted it was at 2am but still...**  
**Please don't kill me for the depressing nature of this and just to clarify this is in Virgils POV.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Thunderbirds :(**

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28 minutes and you're still gone. No contact, no heat reading. Nothing. Twenty-eight minutes of hell for us as we clamber across the rubble searching for you. Oh little brother, where have you gone? Stop playing this twisted game of hide and seek; give us a sign or a hope because right now that's starting to fade fast. A small metal sign flashes its number mockingly as I step past, reminding me of how long it's been since we saw your blue eyes. 28. And yet the time is still ever increasing. I wheel around having noticed a blip.

Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty…ready or not here I come? Here I come to dig you out as you lay 29 degrees to my left. Weirdly I count the steps as I bound to your side – 29, 30. 30 steps. I'll dig you out in a second just after I've shouted for the others. It's only been 30 minutes – you've been buried for longer than that before.  
And here's Scott, his hands practically a blur as he throws rocks aside. He's desperate to see you Sprout. Gordon tells me he'll be thirty seconds before he reaches us, so I count. Knowing him he'll do it in 28. These numbers appear to be mocking me. Or not…29 seconds and a flash of red hair. He was damn close the little twerp.  
A large gash on your leg begs for attention but I simply toss the bandages to Scott. I have more pressing matters. Like the fact you're not breathing. We're pulling you free and all the while we hope that you are there, somewhere. Still clinging on. I don't think twice about pressing my fingers into your neck to check for the pulse we're all hoping for. Waiting but there is nothing there. I can't feel a breath or see your chest rise. 28, 29, 30. Nothing. No pulse.  
I may have just ruined your uniform but it's not that important. Not when your life hangs in the balance. Oh well. A shirt for a life I guess. I set my lips in a thin line before I glance at Scott. Field Commander eyes stare back at me, giving me the only conformation I need. Ignoring Gordon freaking out, I interlock my fingers on your chest. Deep breath. I'm not dying. I can help you. Okay then. 1, 2, 3…

**-=- TB -=-**

28, 29, 30. Pause. 2 breaths. Check for breathing or pulse. Still nothing. I feel like a robot, working mechanically through this routine but I'm unwilling to let you go. Try again. My arms are getting a dull ache in them and I can feel sheen of sweat on my brow. Oh well. I'm not dying.  
You. Will. Survive. I chant this in time with the compressions. 28…29, 30. Breathe for me dammit! A laugh, a smile. For all I care it could be a kick in the ribs. Just come back okay? Please Al? You're way too stubborn for your own good. Here I am trying to help you and you just lie there looking like a vegetable. How about I cook some cauliflower? Surely your gag reflex to that stuff will force you back into existence. 30 seconds break and another 2 breaths. You can pull through. Trust me. You are going to pull through.  
Don't try me little bro – I can be just as stubborn when I want to be. And I'm going to be stubborn now. Because you _are_ going to breathe again and you are _not_ dying on me. 28, 29, 30! My own movements are slowing with fatigue but I refuse to give up. I'm sure Mom can wait a few years to see you. And yet every 30 compressions you just slip further and further away. We rescued 29, no, 30 people. You could be the 31st. Some 28,000 feet above me a cloud moves away from the sun and illuminates your pale face. Wait where was I…? 28…29…30? That's right. Breath, breath. Go again. The other blonde is trying to contact me. I just leave it, let Scott or Gordon answer him whilst I bring you back to the world of the living.  
But you just won't have it will you? Tough, I'm your big brother and I'm telling you that you will survive this. No games, no tricks. Just prove to us that you are alive. That's all that I ask of you. I'm getting tired you know. I love you far too much to let you go. 28...29. Too much effort. 30.  
Scott's hands are holding my wrists still, stopping me from trying again. He's saying it's too late and that you've left us Allie. The smother-hen is wrong. You must still be there, just needing a little help to re-join us.  
Scotty get off. May as well say it to you since I know he won't listen to me. One glance at my watch informs me it's been 29 minutes since we dug you out. And all I get is Scott pulling me aside to fill out a report. Aha. Report 30. Cruel world today isn't it. 28 minutes missing, 29 trying to save you, report 30. Oh Al, I'm so sorry.

**-=- TB -=-**

My eyes mist as I think of you again. That was 28, 29 years ago? Wait, it was 30 I think. I'm not sure – the concussion is making my brain fuzzy. All I know is that you, Al, never knew love. Never had kids. Your future was snatched from you. I didn't try hard enough to bring you back.  
People sound like they're shouting "It's been 28 minutes" and then "About 30 yards to your left!". I know that's where you were all those years ago Al, so why are they saying that to me? It's not like they've found me yet not after a mere 28 minutes. Oh look, I'm going to run out of oxygen. 1, 2, 3…  
Allie I'll get to see you now, is Mom there? Will I get to see her too? 30 years of heartache and wishing I'd not let Scott stop me. Finally I hope you will understand. I love you Al. I love all of them too but you're the youngest and I think everybody had a soft spot for you. I let a sigh escape my lips whenever I think of you. 28…29…..30.

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**A/N Thank you so much for reading this (I hope it was okay) and just in case I wrote this really badly or you didn't understand, yes, both Alan and Virgil died.  
I'm still looking for a beta reader/helper and I need some ideas for "What not to do on Tracy Island" so PM me regarding that.**

**~Yada**


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